How is backpacking different from just traveling? Backpacking does not require a person to spend too much money.
This is what makes it very attractive to many people.
A backpacker would usually ride the cheapest public transport available and stay at a low-cost hostel.
Five-star luxury hotels are a big no-no when you are out backpacking.
This whole experience is more into giving you a raw kind of adventure.
First-time backpackers might find it a bit difficult to take the first step.
If you are used to traveling with several pieces of luggage that are full of clothes, shoes, and other stuff, you might want to change that.
In backpacking, you would need to pack light.
Bring only the most important pieces of clothing with you.
Decide which ones are the most comfortable and practical to wear during your whole trip.
Another very important thing to do is make a clear and detailed itinerary of your travel.
Make a list of all the places that you are going to visit and the activities that are planning to do.
Make sure that you have sufficient time to do everything on that list.
Leave a copy of that list to your friends and family so that they would know where and how to contact you if there would be an emergency.
Read about the places that you have included in your itinerary.
Educate yourself with the basic information about their culture, weather, government and people.
If you have time, you could even learn a few local words or phrases.
It would be nice to know how to say "thank you" or "hello" in another language, wouldn't it? Set aside a budget.
Look up bus fares, plane ticket rates, and more.
Make a rough estimation of how much money you would spend once you are out there backpacking.
This is necessary so that you would not run out of money in case something bad happens.
Talking to experienced backpackers to know how they survived each time would also be extremely helpful.
There should be able to share a few tips and techniques that you could use along the way.